On 23/9, Tong Phuoc Loc, head of the personnel organization department at Ho Chi Minh City's Department of Education and Training, reported receiving nearly 10,600 applications for teaching positions this year. Of these, over 10,000 candidates qualified for the practical exam held on 27/9 and 28/9.
The 30-minute practical exam assesses candidates' knowledge and professional skills based on the specific job requirements. The Department will select candidates based on their scores, starting from the highest until all positions are filled. The minimum passing score is 50/100.
The practical exam follows this sequence: drawing a topic, writing down the presentation content on a form (15 minutes), submitting the form, presenting the knowledge and demonstrating skills based on the submitted content, and answering questions from the panel (15 minutes).
Mr. Loc emphasized that candidates should clearly state the desired qualities and competencies for each lesson and then introduce the techniques, methods, and teaching aids they will use.
Ho Chi Minh City currently has the largest education system in the country with over 2.5 million students. Before the new school year, the Department announced the recruitment of over 5,700 teachers from preschool to high school levels. Each applicant can register for one desired position.
 |
Students and teacher at Bui Van Moi Primary School, Phuoc Long Ward, September 2025. Photo: Quynh Tran |
Students and teacher at Bui Van Moi Primary School, Phuoc Long Ward, September 2025. Photo: Quynh Tran
In the 2024-2025 school year, the country had over 1.26 million teachers from preschool to grade 12, with a shortage of approximately 120,000.
This teacher shortage has persisted for years in most provinces and cities, with Ho Chi Minh City among those experiencing the most significant shortages. However, some positions, such as IT and English teachers, sometimes receive no applications or have successful candidates who decline the job offer.
This year, for the first time, the Department of Education and Training is in charge of recruiting and assigning teachers at all levels. This is expected to address local imbalances of teacher supply and demand. Previously, the Department only recruited high school teachers, while other levels were handled by the People's Committees of districts and counties (now commune level).
Le Nguyen
